Heartbreak, anger and many questions follow University of the Arts’ abrupt decision to close

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Fallout is spreading over the impending closure of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. The nearly 150-year-old school says it plans to close its doors Friday. The abrupt decision shocked and angered students, parents and faculty alike and has raised questions about governance at the venerable city institution. University of the Arts student Bryant Fleming says the decision left him heartbroken. A group of faculty and staff, meanwhile, has filed suit, and the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office says it’s looking into the closure. The University of the Arts is joining a long list of small, private colleges that have shut down in recent years amid demographic changes and pandemic turmoil.